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Longitudinal study on infants' temperament and physical development in Beijing, China
Yu-hua Gong1, Cheng-ye Ji, Jin-ping Shan
1Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
International Journal of Nursing Practice
|October 8, 2013
Summary
Infant temperament influences physical development. Positive temperaments correlated with higher infant weight, while gender and parental factors also impacted growth in a Beijing study.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Psychology
- Human Growth
Background:
- Temperament, an early behavioral style, may influence child development.
- Understanding factors affecting infant physical development is crucial for public health.
- Previous research has explored various influences on infant growth, but the link with temperament requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between infant temperament and physical development (weight and length).
- To examine gender differences in temperament and their association with physical development.
- To assess the influence of parental anthropometrics on infant growth and temperament.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 1117 infants in Beijing over 12 months.
- Regular measurements of body weight and horizontal length from 42 days to 12 months.
- Assessment of infant temperament using the revised Chinese infants' temperament scale at 6 months.
Main Results:
- Significant gender differences in temperament dimensions were observed.
- Infant weight and length were significantly associated with parental weight and height.
- Infants with positive temperaments (easy, intermediate) were heavier than those with negative temperaments (difficult, slow to warm up).
- Boys' horizontal length showed a significant relationship with temperament categories.
- Both infant weight and length were significantly related to temperament category and parental anthropometrics.
Conclusions:
- Infant temperament is a significant factor associated with physical development, particularly weight.
- Parental characteristics play a role in infant physical development.
- Gender modifies the relationship between temperament and physical development in infants.
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